Redu: Books, Crafts and Forests

Redu has a special focus on books: the Village du Livre defines the village, while miniature scenes and craft activities offer further insights into the world of books and paper. The forests around Redu also invite you to go for a walk throughout the year. This gives you a choice when planning your holiday: themed discoveries in the village or time outdoors.

Books as a common thread

The Fête du Livre in Redu takes place every year over Easter weekend and attracts hundreds of visitors. The exact dates vary. The Village du Livre comprises around fifteen specialist bookshops. Their subjects range from nature, astronomy and history to travel and music, as well as archaeology, children’s books and comics. The number of shops may change, but the variety of subjects still makes it easy to follow your own interests as you browse. Rather than focusing on a single book topic, you’ll find different approaches here, from non-fiction subjects to narrative and illustrated formats.

The history of the book village goes back to Easter 1984. That was when the first market for rare and second-hand books in the Ardennes was held, marking the start of Redu’s identity as a Village du Livre. This origin connects the present-day focus with a specific local tradition: books are not just part of what’s on offer, but are at the heart of the history for which Redu is known.

Miniatures and crafts

Mini Redu adds to the visit with a walking route of about 1.5 kilometres through staged miniature scenes. A guide booklet and an interactive map show the way through the Village du Livre. You can plan the route as a separate stop in your day, while the bookshops offer a different experience, shaped more by browsing at your own pace.

Craft activities also explore the theme. Double Page – Atelier de reliure offers courses and workshops in traditional and contemporary bookbinding; participation is by arrangement. If you’d like to include this hands-on activity in your stay, check in advance to find out what’s currently available. At the Atelier de fabrication de papier la cuve, various paper-making techniques using unusual plants are demonstrated. Bookbinding and paper-making thus offer two distinct craft perspectives.

Walks and practical information

If you’d rather focus on outdoor activities, the forests around Redu offer opportunities for walks throughout the year. This is a different experience from Mini Redu: there, a route of about 1.5 kilometres leads through specially arranged scenes, while the forests provide space for walks. When planning your day, you can weigh up the two options according to the theme and length of outing you prefer.

The Office du Tourisme de Libin is located in Redu, opposite the church, and provides information about things to discover and walks in the municipality. As availability and opening hours may change, check them before visiting. At the Petits Marchés de Redu, vendors welcome visitors in the village square; if you’re planning to visit the market, check the dates and times in advance. Also bear in mind when shopping that not all bookshops have a card terminal, and there is no cash machine in the village. Take this into account when planning how to pay.

Plan your stay around your interests

When looking for a holiday rental in Redu, the kind of stay you want can be a good starting point. Would you like to spend most of your time in the bookshops and exploring the history of the Village du Livre, include Mini Redu in your plans, or focus on walks in the surrounding forests? An interest in bookbinding or paper-making also leads to a different daily rhythm, since participation in the bookbinding courses requires an arrangement in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Smuid, Transinne.

Go to the main travel overview: Libin.